Rotary engine.



No. 879,464. PATENTED FEB. 18, 1908.

E. HARRIGAN. ROTARY ENGINE.

. 30, 1907. APPLICATION FILED JAN a SH S SH ET l.

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No. 879,464. PATENTED FEB. 18, 1908. E. HARRIGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 30. 1907.

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No. 879,464. I PATENTED FEB. 18, 1908.

B. HARRIGAYN. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION r LED N.30 1907.

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EDWARD HARRIGAN, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

' ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

Application filed January 30. 1907- Serial No. 354.933.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, EDWARD HARRIGAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the city of Tacoma, in the county of Pierceand State of Washington, have invented certain new'and usefulImprovements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a constructionembodying certain improvements over my Patent No. 821,797 which will bespecifically referred to as the description progresses.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification and in which similar numerals of reference are used toindicate like parts throughout: Figure 1 is a view partly in sideelevation and partly in section. Fig. 2 is an end view of the invention,parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a view in top plan and, Fig. 4is a detail view of the abutment.

Reference numeral 1 indicates the casing which is preferably formed intwo sections, as shown, and having a continuous bore which is circularin cross section.

2 indicates a carrier fixed to shaft 3 which is journaled in suitablebearings 4 of the casing. The rim of this carrier is fitted between thecasing sections and provided with a suitable piston 5 which slidesfreely in the casing. Each casing section, at the side of the rim of thecarrier, is formed with a groove in which suitable packing as 6, isfitted to prevent steam escaping from the casing. Each packing 6 isexpansible, the same being hollow and split at one side throughout itslength. As now considered, packings 6 are arranged with their splitsides in the grooves of the casing, one at each side of the rim of thecarrier in contacting relation thereto, and steam is admitted into thesepackings through conduits 7, whereby to expand the same and therebyserve to enable the bearing of the packings on the rim of the carrier tobe a yielding one. The source of supply of steam with which conduits 7communicate is casing 1, said conduits preferably communicatingtherewith at opposite sides of abutment 8. This abutment comprisesopposite oscillatory members formed with semicircular cutouts 8 whichare adapted to register so that piston 5 can pass therethrough.Component members of the abutment normally stand with their cutouts outof registration and suitable packing 9 on said members preventsescapement of steam therebetween.

The abutment members are provided at their upper endswith arms 10 whichare connected for simultaneous operation by a link 11. The means foroscillating the abutment members consists of a cam 12, fixed to shaft 3,said cam having an external groove in which a roller 13 on the lower endof a lever 13, fulcrumed at 14 rides, and links 15 and 15 the latter ofwhich is pivoted to one of the arms 10 (see Fig. 3).

Reference numeral 16 indicates the steam chest from which ports 17 and18 lead to the bore of casing 1, ports 17 communicating with the casingat one side of abutment 8 and ports 18 communicating with the casing atthe opposite side thereof. In the steam chest are valves 19, 19 arrangedas in my aforesaid patent so that one valve closes one of the ports 17,(see Fig. 1), while the other valve closes a different port 18. In theinner ports of the respective pairs are oscillatory valves 20, whichvalves are provided with arms 21 connected by a link 22.

Reference numeral 23 indicates a lever fulcrumed to the casing andhaving one of its arms connected to link 22 and its other to a rod 24which is operatively connected to the governor.

The particular form of governor is immaterial to the carrying out of myinvention, that shown being of the type illustrated in my patent.

The mechanism herein shown for imparting movement to the abutmentmembers as well as the means illustrated for supplying steam to theexpansible packings can be readily varied without departing from thespirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, 1s:

1. In a rotary engine, a casing, a rotatable carrier, a piston connectedto said carrier and being slidable in said casing, an abutmentcomprising opposite members mounted for oscillation and formed withcutouts adapted to register, means to oscillate said members, andpacking on each of said members, the packing 011 one of said membersengaging that on the other member when the members are turned so thattheir cutouts are out of registration.

2. In a rotary engine, a casing formed of two sections, a carriersupported for rotation and having its rim projecting between saidsections, a piston secured to the rim of the carrier and operating insaid casing, the easing sections at the sides of the rim of the carrierbeing formed with grooves, hollow packing fitted in said grooves andbearing on the rim of the carrier, that portion of said hollow packingfitting in said grooves being split, and means to admit fluid underpressure into said grooves to expand said packing.

3. In a rotary engine, a casing formed of two sections, a carriersupported for rotation and having its rim projecting between saidsections, a piston secured to the rim of the carrier and operating insaid casing, expansible packing on opposite sides of the rim of i thecarrier, and conduits leading from the casing for supplying steam to theinterior of said packing.

4. In a rotary engine, a casing formed of two sections, a carriersupported for rotation and having its rim projecting between saidsections, a piston secured to the rim of the carrier and operating insaid casing, the easing sections at the sides of the rim of the carrierbeing formed with grooves, hollow expansible packing arranged in each ofsaid grooves and bearing on the rim of the carrier, and conduits leadingfrom the casing for supplying steam to the interior of each packing.

5. In a rotary engine, a casing, a rotatable carrier, a piston secured.to said carrier and being slid able in said casing, coacting oscillatoryabutment members mounted in said casing and formed with cutouts adaptedto register, a cam rotatable with the carrier and having an externalgroove, a lever fulcrumed on the casing and having a bearing partengaged in the groove of said cam, and means operated by said lever forsimultaneously oscillating said abutment members.

Signed at Tacoma, Washington this 4 day of October 1906.

EDWARD HARRIGAN.

Vitnesses J. F. OBRIEN, GRACE G. SooTT.

